By Chris Udochukwu
KANO – The National Agency for the Great Green Wall (NAGGW), says it is strenthening synergy with stakeholders in the North-west on conservation of nature and environmental protection.
Dr Yusuf Maina-Bukar, the Director General of the Agency, made this known at a stakeholders meeting on Wednesday in Kano.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the meeting was organised by the agency to enhance synergy with stakeholders in combating environmental challenges.
According to Maina-Bukar, the engagement will help in combatting desertification, deforestation and restoration of degraded lands.
The director general, who was represented by the Director, Resources Mobilisationsation, Alhaji Safiyanu Yavana, noted that the agency had played a critical role in galvanising attention towards addressing challenges associated with climate change and other environmental issues.
Maina-Bukar also announced that NAGGW would partner with states and local governments, civil society organisations, community leaders, youth, women groups and persons with disabilities in archieving their goals.
“The agency has embodied this spirit of partnership and collaboration amongst stakeholders to ignite common resolve to eradicate climate change challenges through the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal (SDG).
“Despite the gloomy picture of dealing with challenge at hand, there is an aura of hope, palpable commitment and unwavering doggedness out there to collectively work together towards inclusive achievements in this regard,” he said.
He urged participants to take full advantage of the gathering in building a deliberate consensus policy that would address the menace of climate change.
Earlier, Prof. Alhassan Danladi of Faculty of Forestry and Environment, Usman Danfodio University, Sokoto, also spoke on “Tackling Food Insecurity through Enhancement of Agro forestry.”
The don identified agro-forestry as the best way out to address climate change.
“Agroforestry can solve many problems of intensive farming in one fell swoop.
“Agroforestry has been around for years, trees amongst crops or grasing fields could allow us to achieve many things. This is a way to increase crop yields, while also benefitting the environment,” he said.
According to him, the benefits of Agroforestry include, Increased productivity, resilient and sustainable food production and more space for wildlife.
In their separate remarks Salam Aminu Lawal from Miyetti Allah, Kebbi and Alhaji Nasiru Sarkin Fulani Achida, Sokoto applauded the foresight of the agency for organising the forum.
They also said that it would go along way in fine tuning modalities of addressing environmental challenges.
NAN reports that the workshop themed: “Building Multi-Stakeholders Responsiveness in the Implementation of the Great Green Wall Programme in Nigeria,” had attracted participants from Northwest geopolitical zone. (NAN)
